TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES
COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Quezon City
Activity Manual
Embedded Systems
Engr. Ryan D. Francisco, CCpE
Activity No. 4
Advance 7-Segment Interfacing
Course Code: CPE 014 Date Performed:9/14/24
Course Title: Embedded Systems Date Submitted:9/14/24
Section: CPE22S1 Instructor:ENGR. LLOYD ALDRIN T. PORNOBI
1. Objective(s):
This activity aims to introduce the microcontroller as an integral part of implementing Embedded Systems by demonstrating
how it is used to control electronic components.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
After performing the laboratory activity, the students should be able to
2.1 Develop circuit that can generate output in seven-segment display
3. Discussions
For many applications, there's no need to use a more expensive liquid crystal display to display data. A simple seven-
segment display is sufficient.
If your Arduino application only needs to display numbers, consider using a seven-segment display. The severn-segment
display has seven LEDs arranged in the shape of number eight. They are easy to use and cost effective. The picture below
shows a typical seven-segment display.
Seven segment displays are of two types: common anode and common cathode. The Internal structure of both types is
nearly the same. The difference is the polarity of the LEDs and common terminal. In a common cathode seven-segment
display (the one we used in the experiments), all seven LEDs plus a dot LED have the cathodes connected to pins 3 and pin
8. To use this display, we need to connect GROUND to pin 3 and pin 8 and, connect +5V to the other pins to make the
individual segments light up. The following diagram shows the internal structure of common-cathode seven-segment display:
Common Cathode
The common anode display is the exact opposite. In a common-anode display, the positive terminal of all the eight LEDs are
connected together and then connected to pin 3 and pin 8. To turn on an individual segment, you ground one of the pins.
The following diagram shows the internal structure of the common-anode seven-segment display.
Common Anode
The seven segments are labelled a-g, with the dot being "dp," as shown in the figure below:
SSD Configuration
To display a particular number, you turn on the individual segments as shown in the table below:
4. Materials and Equipment:
1 seven segment display (common cathode)
1 Arduino MEGA 2560
1 breadboard
7 220-ohm resistors (1/4 W)
Wires
5. Procedures
Turning on the LEDs
In this circuit, the pins of seven-segment display are connected to Arduino pins 2-9, as shown in the table below. Common
pins (pin 3 and pin 8) are connected to GND and dp is left unconnected, because it is not used in this experiment .
Wiring Diagram
Code
Please write your observation in the data analysis and the screenshot of your output.
Count Down
In this tutorial, we will be interfacing a seven-segment display with Arduino mega and learn to display a count down from
nine with a delay of a second, on seven segment display.
*The same wiring diagram in the previous example.
Code
Please write your observation in the data analysis and the screenshot of your output.
6. Data Analysis:
Turning on the display
Each digit on the 7-segment display is represented by a unique combination of active segments (A-G), with digit 8
using all segments and digits like 1 and 7 using the fewest.
Count Down
To make the 7-segment display count down, each digit (9 to 0) is represented by activating specific segments
based on predefined patterns. A 1-second delay is introduced between each digit to create a visible countdown
effect.
7. Supplementary Activity:
Tasks:
1. Using the 7segment display, loop an even number starting from 0 in ascending order. After which, loop back an odd
number starting from 9 in descending order.
Screenshot of the diagram
Screenshot of the codes
int segmentA = 2;
int segmentB = 3;
int segmentC = 4;
int segmentD = 5;
int segmentE = 6;
int segmentF = 7;
int segmentG = 8;
const int digitCodes[10][7] = {
{1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
{0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0},
{1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1},
{1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1},
{0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1},
{1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
{1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
{1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0},
{1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
{1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1}
};
int segmentPins[7] = {segmentA, segmentB, segmentC, segmentD, segmentE, segmentF, segmentG};
void setup() {
for (int i = 0; i < 7; i++) {
pinMode(segmentPins[i], OUTPUT);
}
}
void loop() {
for (int digit = 0; digit <= 8; digit += 2) {
displayDigit(digit);
delay(1000);
}
for (int digit = 9; digit >= 1; digit -= 2) {
displayDigit(digit);
delay(1000);
}
}
void displayDigit(int digit) {
for (int i = 0; i < 7; i++) {
digitalWrite(segmentPins[i], digitCodes[digit][i]);
}
}
8. Conclusion:
I learned how to interface a seven-segment display with an Arduino Uno, control each segment to show different
digits, and troubleshoot display issues. I also gained experience in coding dynamic visual sequences and
debugging problems.
